A French painter who loved the Orinoco

Until now, the figure of Auguste Morisot was little less than a historical enigma: only the little that was mentioned in Jean Chaffanjon's work, The Orinoco and the Caura, was known about him. The circumstances of this controversial expedition, which for many years claimed to be the one to discover the sources of the Orinoco, together with the elusive personality of the painter, ignored by his companion, resulted in his travel diary and the graphic work of this Lyonnais artist, both impregnated with great sensitivity and love for the great river and its environment, reaching the general public only recently. The expedition produced a radical change in his spirit, and he remained in a sort of self-exile, devoted to painting and teaching, inspired by his tropical experience, until the end of his days. We present here his illustrated biography for a better knowledge of this enigmatic artist who loved the Orinoco.